Crane operated single line scooping apparatuses and buckets are known, but they are quite complicated, and frequently require hydraulics to function. U.S. Pat. No. 2,671,283 teaches a scooping apparatus that uses a single line, and a very creative pneumatically controlled roller scoop which also uses extendable counter arms to aid in digging. Most of such devices make use of two buckets that meet forming clam buckets. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,922 teaches an extraction dredging apparatus which has a clam shell scoop at the end of a pneumatically controlled mechanism that can clearly be suspended from a single line. U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,303 teaches a contaminated sediment excavator for subsurface sediment removal that has a clam bucket which uses two opposing shells dangled from a single overhead line. U.S. Pat. No. 7,685,749 teaches a soil stripping device which is basically a clam bucket on a single line with a support platform and carrier implement.
Hauling and moving apparatuses, as well as, buckets or containers that have arms with load bearing crossbars or similar arrangements exist. EP 0 487 879 A1 shows a transportation apparatus that dangles from a single chain attached to a pivotal crossbar for moving cargo, supplies, or work materials. U.S. Pat. No. 2,669,042 teaches a drag scoop for hauling “riprap”, which scoop has arms and a cross bar of sorts that do not pivot, but also uses a lift chain and a drag chain arrangement to scoop up loose material. U.S. Pat. No. 1,863,458 teaches a bucket with pivotal arms and a cross bar, which also has teeth on a scoop part. U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,023 teaches a bucket for a mechanical shovel that uses bar support on a chain or single line, which also uses an hydraulic arm in place of a secondary chain, or in addition thereto, that runs along the same line as a conventional drag chain.
Dragline buckets are known. Dragline buckets use a single bucket instead of a clam shell or pneumatics, but they require multiple lines, which may operate to drag the bucket across the bottom of a body of water, or across loose materials. An example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,721,473 teaches a dragline excavator bucket, and demonstrates the line attachments set up for use with a crane in which two lines extend upwards to the crane boom and one or two lines extend from the crane base to control the dragging action for the bucket to function. Another example, US Patent Application No. 2009/0235560 A1 teaches a dragline bucket comprising a floor with a ground engaging leading edge which may have a row of teeth, and two spaced apart side walls extending from the floor and forward from a rear wall. U.S. Pat. No. 8,112,912 teaches a dump block with improved assembly features and the chain arrangement for such devices when hooked to a crane boom and to the base of the crane.